Gospel: John 1, 29 – 34
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
Homily
I remember as a young man wondering what the sin of the world was. Jesus after all came to take away our sins. We were taught that Jesus died to do that; to take away my sins and your sins. I thought that perhaps all the sins of the world were put into a vessel and became one in the same way that various drinks are put into a jug and become one. Since no one seemed to be able to give a satisfactory answer, I forgot about the question until many years later when I was doing graduate studies in theology.
To understand this phrase, the sin of the world, we have to understand that God has a purpose for the world and that the rejection of that purpose by this corporate reality which we call humanity is in fact the sin of the world.
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God’s purpose for the world is the restoration of the harmony which existed from the very beginning and described so beautifully for us in the Book of Genesis as the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately because of the sin of our first parents all aspects of that harmony were lost. The harmony between God and human beings, between human beings themselves, between human beings and nature and the harmony which existed within human beings themselves were all lost. God did not give up on his creation however and immediately set about preparing a redeemer who would restore humanity to its original relationships. Scripture tells us that in various times and in various places God spoke to humanity always with the purpose of restoring the original harmony which was/is God’s gift to humanity. God’s plan was that just as that gift was lost through the disobedience of one person, Adam; it would be restored through the obedience of another Jesus Christ. Adam believed the devil’s lies and so disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the forbidden tree. Jesus rejected the devil’s lies and obeyed the Father accepting death rather than succumb to the lies of Satan. Jesus was a martyr for the truth. There in a nutshell is the sin of the world; the rejection of truth, the rejection of truth personified in Jesus Christ. The rejection of truth leads to the rejection of God’s plan for the world, the rejection of harmony in all its aspects.
In the midst of this world which has rejected God’s plan, God’s faithful people, the little flock has been placed to continue the work of Jesus i.e., to restore the harmony which was lost by disobedience to God’s plan. Like Jesus the little flock is comprised of persons who reject Satan’s lies; persons who refuse to accept that egoism and self indulgence will bring fulfillment. Like Jesus, the little flock and those who comprise it will accept rejection, suffering and death rather than do anything which contravenes God’s purpose for the world. The little flock and those who comprise it continue in their own flesh the work of “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” This is in fact the way of the saints. They all gave their energy and their lives for the furtherance of God’s purpose. Many great world leaders, in spite of their faults have lived imperfectly though they might have, as agents of God’s plan. Greats like King, Gandhi and Mandela have exemplified this and suffered tremendously for it.
This reflection questions me and I hope that it questions you. Am I, are we capable of being “lambs of God” (common not capital ‘L’) “who take away the sin of the world”? What is important for us to remember that without new “lambs of God” the sin of the world will linger on and the harmony which is God’s purpose and for which Jesus gave his life will take longer to reach its fulfillment.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-living God your purpose for the world has never changed. You still desire harmony for this world but this will come only through “the lambs of God” who take away the sin of the world. Help us your people to take up the challenge of being agents of your purpose wherever we find ourselves, especially in our homes, workplaces and places of recreation. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our mother and Jesus, your son. Amen
